Travelling in England

By now you’ve probably gotten the hang of travelling in your Host University city. Maybe everything is in walking distance, or the bus system is the fastest and cheapest means of transportation. But with lectures winding down and the term coming to a close, you might be thinking of doing a bit of travelling within England. Perhaps you want to get outside of London or you’re planning a weekend trip to the capital. Here are a few tips for getting around England and London cheaply:

16-25 Railcard

You probably heard us mention this railcard at orientation, and maybe you already have one. They cost £30 and you can get them online (for a slight discount) or at any train station ticket counter; even if you’re older than 25, you are still eligible as a full-time student. Any time you are buying a train ticket, check the box next to 16-25 railcard and you’ll get 1/3 off the price of your ticket! In no time you’ll make that £30 back. But always be sure to have your railcard with you when you travel.

The railcard isn’t just helpful for taking trains around England, but it’s also helpful in London itself. Whether you have a Student Oyster card or not, you can add your railcard to your Oyster card (ask them to do this at a train station ticket counter) and enjoy discounts when you travel on the Tube! At off-peak times, which includes the weekend, you get 1/3 off the price of your Tube journey.

City Mapper App

City Mapper is a free app you can download on your mobile phone or use on the computer, and it tells you the fastest and cheapest ways to get around a city. You might already have it in London, but did you know that this app also works in Manchester, Birmingham and many European cities? The Underground isn’t always the most convenient way to get around London and this app can tell you if a bus is faster (and cheaper!) or if something is close enough to walk. It can be a bit daunting to use public transportation in a new or foreign city, but with City Mapper you know which bus stop to get off at or which tube line to transfer to, and how much your journey will cost and how long it will be.